The present invention relates to a print device for a typewriter or like printing machine. The device is of the kind comprising a character-carrying element having flexible spokes which can be selectively positioned in front of a platen roller, a print hammer for moving the selected character towards the platen roller, and an activating solenoid for the print hammer. In a first aspect, the invention concerns in particular a device having a damping mechanism for reducing the time for the hammer to settle down after the printing of each character.
In such devices, the print hammer covers a relatively long distance in going from a rest position in which it is spaced from the character-carrying spokes to the print position in which the selected spoke is first flexed and then caused to strike against the platen roller. In view of the substantial amounts of energy involved, damping of the vibrations of the hammer is essential in order to achieve a high print rate.
In a known device, damping of the hammer is effected by a rubber block carried by a counteracting lever which in turn is pivoted on a fixed pin and is held in contact against a stop by a suitable counteracting spring. A coil spring which is wound around the pin acts as a friction element between the layer and the pin. That damping mechanism is fairly expensive while in addition the time required for the hammer to settle down is fairly high and is not suitable for high-performance printers.